In the News
Daniel Bress
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
On February 6, 2019, President Trump nominated Daniel A. Bress to the Ninth Circuit
Court of Appeals seat previously held by Judge Alex Kozinski in California.
Bress’s nomination to the Ninth Circuit comes in the wake of President Trump’s repeated attacks on the independence of the circuit and his stated desire to obtain different rulings (see our report on fellow Ninth Circuit Trump nominee Kenneth Lee for more information). Bress is being nominated to advance the President’s far-right agenda and act as a reliable ideologue on the bench.
The White House did not meaningfully consult with Bress’s home-state senators, Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris – and neither senator has returned her blue slip on his nomination. Importantly, Bress is nominated to fill a California seat on the circuit, and both senators have highlighted his lack of connection to the state. As Senator Feinstein wrote, “[W]e raised concerns about Daniel Bress since he lives in Washington, D.C., not California, is quite young and has no judicial experience.”